Bamyan doctors on strike against director

BAMAYAN CITY (Pajhwok): A number of doctors and nurses of Bamyan Civil Hospital on Monday went on strike to protest their director’s attitude, saying they would not return to work until the issue was addressed.

The doctors complained of tough working conditions and accused the hospital director of employing his friends and relatives. They also alleged fleecing of patients, lack of medicine and the practice to refer patients to Kabul.

One of the striking doctors, Hasan Ibrahimi, called the hospital a military installation whose director behaved like a dictator. Even guards appointed recently are allegedly his relatives.

The Public Health Department should immediately deal with the problem, Ibrahimi said, adding health services were free but each patient was asked to pay 10 to 200 afghanis.

But Director Ghulamuddin Dilawar said all his actions were in accordance with the law and the doctors staying away from duty would be removed. He claimed the protest was aimed to scuttle his pro-patient programmes.

“One of the doctors, who failed to do his job properly, was removed and he instigated his colleagues into staging a protest,” the official said. Patients were charged in line with hospital rules, he insisted.

Meanwhile, hundreds of patients had to return home without being examined. Fatima, who had brought her child to the hospital, said she waited for three hours but there was no one to examine the minor.